Nature and numerology offer leadership lessons for Washington

When millions across America witnessed the total solar eclipse on April 8, they saw the power of three — the sun, moon and Earth in perfect alignment, ​also known as a "syzygy." 

The number three is often mythologized with sayings, and the power of three is “associated with creativity, communication and intuition.” 

I see the number three as a guide for core values that can influence leadership styles. Louis Rowitz, a professor emeritus at the University of Illinois, Chicago School of Public Health, defines leadership in three terms: “The ability to see the present in terms of the future while learning from the past."

We are always learning and, hopefully, teaching others through our behavior and beliefs. While the impact can vary from situation to situation, the three phases of our existence shape how we inspire ourselves and others to live, ultimately impacting the world around us.

Throughout my career, I've had the opportunity to teach leadership seminars to government officials, academic faculty and nonprofit executives across the globe. I start my classes by asking everyone to define their three core values. Generally, one value serves as the cornerstone supported by the other two. 

Those core values are also influenced by individual leadership styles, which often fall into three categories: guide, command-control or inspire. But subtle differences between fear and inspiration can have a significant impact.

Understanding the role of social, cultural and political environments is essential to analyzing how fear and inspiration can influence decisions and actions. Using a historical lens, we can chart how political leaders channel the public's emotions to create monumental programs with long-term impact. 

For example, in May 1961, while the Cold War raged across the planet, Sputnik raced across the sky. This led President Kennedy to inspire the nation with an audacious call to action to land a man on the moon by the end of the decade. Rather than fear, the public was focused on the lives of the astronauts. The Apollo generation would set the course for exploration and science, technology, engineering and math careers for decades. 

In February 2003, after the nation was terrorized by the horrors of Sept. 11, 2001, anthrax attacks and a war in Afghanistan, new threats over bioweapons led the public to think about the need to use plastic tarp and duct tape in our homes. The Bush administration channeled this fear into a war in Iraq, supposedly over weapons that were never found. The nation just wanted to feel safe and was willing to accept another conflict for quite a long time to achieve this state. 

Leaders know that if fear is used appropriately, it can save lives, but it can also lead to negative outcomes. During the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, after politicians and medical leaders touted cures such as injecting disinfectants, there were serious consequences, including a spike in accidental poisonings and death — ​inciting more public division and mistrust.

During the eclipse, as the syzygy was being reached, some were afraid to leave their homes over fear that the apocalypse was coming, while others gathered outside with strangers. Many called the event one of the most magical of their lives and made new friends during the shared experience. 

Leaders, especially politicians, can learn from this. It’s time to help Americans feel connected to each other and with something bigger than themselves, and to believe promises will be kept with the certainty of the eclipse's phases.

Saralyn Mark is a former senior medical policy advisor to the White House, the Department of Health and Human Services and NASA.